Tis the Season to be Charmed
by astronomygirl85
Summary: A new set of Charmed problems arrise with the return of a lost loved one. A trio of different sisters on the other side of the country discover their magical roots are identical to the Halliwells. Now the Halliwells must train their new Charmed cousins.
1. Chapter 1

Hey Everybody! This is my first venture into this realm on I have written a Star Wars story under a different penname. If you want the name of the story, feel free to ask. This is my first Charmed story and if you like it i'll add on more chapters. if not, i'll just forget about it and write something else. I am open to suggestions and will gladly accept criticism, just don't be harsh.

And now the part ever writer hates, the disclaimer. The characters that you don't recognize are my own creation. The Charmed characters belong to Aaron Spelling and Constance M Burge. I'm just having a little fun with them. Oh and by the way, all four of the sisters are in this.

Tis the Season to be Charmed

Chapter One: Meet the Sisters

"For your assignment due next time, I want you to read the section on L'Hospital's Rule and be prepared for a quiz on Tuesday. Class dismissed," the Calculus professor announced. March Baytown gathered her books and left the classroom. She was due to pick up her sisters a whopping three hours from now.

Sighing in defeat, March fished for her keys in her purse and slung her backpack over her shoulder. Wind blew her auburn hair into her face as she stepped into the parking lot and to her car. The wonderful life of a college student, she thought dryly as she unlocked the car, stashed her backpack in the back seat, and climbed in to the driver's seat. What I wouldn't give to be in high school again...

March Baytown, the oldest of three sisters at twenty, was a second year science major at the local university in wonderful Alabama. Math was never one of her favorite subjects, but it was a required course so she just had to bear it out. She was working towards a degree in physics. She also had a passion for writing, she always kept a paper and pencil handy by her side. Great stress reliever when you have to take care of your little sisters.

The girls all shared the same physical traits that obviously made them sisters. They had varying shades of auburn hair of different lengths. They were each adorned with bluish green eyes and beautiful smiles. Their mother June Baytown had given them all spring names. April was the middle sister at eighteen. She was living it up in her final semester as a senior in high school. She loved performing in drama, but had the temper to go with the red hair. March often had to hold her at bay to keep her from throttling various ill bearing cousins.

May, at sixteen and a half, was the quiet one of the group. She was a little shy, but could talk your ears off once she got to know someone. She loved singing and had a passion for plants. March often joked that her whole arm was green instead of just her thumb. She was a sophomore and active in chorus.

March was the natural peacemaker. She never liked fighting, always following the saying "The pen is mightier than the sword." She was level headed and could see both sides of an argument. She had a knack for foreign languages so she joined the German Club in her freshman year at college.

March and her sisters were very different, but they were very close knit. Ever since their mother disappeared three years ago, March had to take care of her younger sisters. She often had to comfort May when she awoke from nightmares screaming and crying. The girls missed her teribly, but still had hope that they would see their mother someday.

March finally turned into the driveway and shut off the engine. She walked into the quiet house. Maybe I'll have time to work on my Chemistry homework before I have to pick up my sisters. She grabbed her textbook and set to work.

Piper Halliwell set to work in the kitchen making breakfast for her two sisters, Phoebe and Paige, her husband Leo Wyatt, and their two sons Chris and Wyatt. She mixed up blueberry muffins from scratch and pulled the batter into the muffin pan. She popped them into the oven. She then moved to the eggs and the frying pan. She scrambled some eggs for her young sons then fried some for her very different sisters. She started the coffee brewing and continued on making pancakes when one of her sleepyhead sisters finally walked in.

"Morning Piper," Phoebe slurred, eyelids heavy with sleep.

"Morning Pheebs," Piper said grinning at her sister.

"Where's the coffee?"

"Same place as always Phoebe."

Phoebe finally managed to wake up enough to find the coffee pot. Then a very disgruntled and disarrayed Paige stumbled in.

"Morning Miss Grumpy," Piper smiled, giggling at Paige's bed hair

"Talk later. Just pass the coffee. What's so funny?"

"Your hair. It's as bad as Harry Potter's!" Piper laughed.

"The Wicked Witch of the Northwest!" Phoebe snipped.

"Ha," Paige grunted. "Pass the caffeine before I orb you to Antarctica."

"Okay, Missy Paige," Piper said passing a cup as her little sister tried to hide a huge yawn.

"That bluberry muffins?" Phoebe asked suddenly.

"Yes," Piper answered turning her attention to the oven. "Blueberry muffins."

She set the pancakes and eggs on the table with butter and jelly. "Have at it you two. I'm going to go and check on my boys. And wake up the biggest baby of them."

"Wyatt?" Paige asked with a grin.

"Leo, you silly witch!" Piper said throwing a potholder at Paige.

It hit her in the face. "No fair throwing potholders at the unsuspecting half asleep sister."

Piper rolled her eyes and headed upstairs.

She heard one of her sons sniffle as she walked past the nursery. One of them was already awake. "Chris," she said softly.

Piper walked quietly into the nursery and to the infant Chris's cradle. The six month old was stirring in his crib.

"Hi there baby. You are awake early this morning." Piper gently lifted him from his bed and cuddled him to her, rocking him softly tiptoeing to Wyatt's toddler bed. He was still sleeping. She readjusted the quilt over the two year old. She ruffled his hair and walked out closing the door behind her.

"Wanna go wake Daddy?" Piper asked her son, walking towards the bedroom. Chris gurgled in response, smiling.

Piper walked into her room, greeted by a snoring Leo. "Get him," she whispered setting Chris down next to Leo. Chris started laughing at Leo and grabbed his father's nose.

"Ow!" Leo exclaimed jumping awake. Piper started laughing.

"Hey Chris," Leo said making funny faces at his son, mock scowling at his wife. "Very funny Piper."

"Got you awake didn't it? Besides, you were snoring. Wasn't he Chris?"

Chris laughed, his little arms flailing about.

"I do not snore!" Leo protested getting out of bed and tickling his son on the tummy.

"Yes you do! Now get dressed and have some breakfast."

"Yes, dear." Leo mock saluted her.

"Get out you!" Piper pushed him with a pillow.

Leo laughed and complied with Piper's orders.

So, what do you guys think? All you have to do is click that little blue butoon on the bottom right corner. you know you want to...


	2. Chapter 2

AstronomyGirl85 back again! happy Thanksgiving to every American out there. I'm a Alabama girl myself so I celebrated too. Anyway, thanks to those of you who reviewed my story! Keep 'em coming. And now, the next installment...

Chapter 2:

Magic? What the heck is going on?

March walked down the streets of her neighborhood past the local park. It was nearing three o'clock, so March decided to head back home down another road. It lead to an alleyway that had never seen before, but something about it today just seemed...different.

March was never scared of dark alleyways, but something about this one creeped her out. She walked slowly, keeping an eye out for danger. Suddenly a shot rang out from behind her. March felt nothing, seeing only bright blue lights as darkness came. Then, she was herself again. "What the heck just happened?" she asked herself checking mentally for wound marks. Must have missed me, she thought rushing out of the alleyway and back home.

Seconds later, as March sped away from the alleyway, a figure appeared in a swirl of orbs. She looked around for any witnesses to the gunshot, finding none she she stepped into the shadows again and orbed out.

Meanwhile, March had made it back home, still freaked out about that gunshot. What got to her the most was where had those blue light thingys come from? She dismissed it as her imagination, that her mind was going bonkers from the shot. Deep down, her conscious wasn't so sure it was her imagination.

She got into her black Mustang and drove to the high school. She turned her radio on and hit the CD button. Creedence Clearwater Revival was in the player and soon she was rocking out on "I Put a Spell on You" and "Bad Moon Rising."

"Don't go out tonight, it' bound to take your life. There's a bad moon on the rise," she sang out loud. She paused as those lyrics sunk in. She changed it quickly to some other song. "That's really creepy," she thought aloud, turning into the school parking lot.

"Why do you listen to that old stuff?" April asked when she walked up to the car.

"I like Creedence, okay. It's better than that stuff you listen to."

"What can be better than Aqua?"

"Do you know how bad that song 'Barbie Girl' is? It's filled with nasty lyrics."

"Never thought about it that way," April said making a face. "Still a good song though."

"What's a good song?" May asked coming up to the car, holding onto several books.

"Aqua's 'Barbie Girl'. What's with all the books Sis?" April asked.

"Research project for history. I'm doing a paper on the Salem Witch Trials."

"Yikes," March said in sympathy. "Come on y'all. Let's go."

The younger sisters climbed into the car.

"Salem Witch Trials huh?" March quipped towards her baby sister. "You've been watching 'The Crucible' too much."

"It's a good movie! So is the play!" May exclaimed.

"No arguments there," March defended. "That should be an easy paper for you."

"I have present my findings to the class when I'm finished though. That's what I'm worried about. You know how shy I am."

"Don't worry about it," March said reassuring her sister. "You'll do fine."

May nodded absently, not really paying attention.

Finally, the girls arrived home. They walked inside the house unknowing that their destiny was starting to unfold.

May got unto the computer, searching the internet for information on the Salem Witch Trials. After an hour of searching, she found a site that listed the victims of witch trials and their genealogy. She clicked on the website. She found several names that were familiar: John Proctor, Giles Corey, Mary Warren. There was one name that drew her attention. Melinda Warren. "Why does that name sound so familiar?" she asked aloud.

"What name?" April asked from behind her.

"This Melinda Warren. Did Mom mention something about her once when talking about our family history?"

"Don't know. March!" April called.

"What? I'm kinda busy in here!" March yelled from the kitchen.

"Did Mom ever mention an ancestor named Melinda Warren?"

"Maybe. I don't exactly remember."

"Click on it and see," April prompted May.

She did so.

Minutes later, when March returned from the kitchen to serve dinner, May recounted what she found to her sisters.

"Melinda Warren was a witch who was burned at the stake when her lover bretrayed her. According to myth she had three powers. She had telekinesis, premonitions, and the ability to freeze time. When she was burned she predicted that each generation of Warren witches would grow stronger until three sisters were born. These sisters, the Charmed Ones, would be the ultimate force of good in the world."

"Very interesting," March said. "Too bad magic doesn't really exist."

"Yeah."

Well, there you go guys! Well, it seems like March is some kind of Whitelighter, but what powers do you you think her sisters will have? Only I can tell you that. Well, until next time y'all!


	3. Chapter 3

Hey guys! I'm back again with another chapter of Tis the Season. Now, some information will be revealed and a lost loved one returns. Three guesses who and the first two don't count. Anyway, enjoy the story and keep the reviews coming. They make me so happy.

Chapter 3:

Explaining the Charming Circumstances

"The world would be a whole lot better if we didn't have to hide our magic all the time," Paige groaned as she snuck into an alleyway to orb home. Her new charge had no idea that magic existed yet. She had to break it gradually to him and that was what really sucked about this whole situation. She looked around to see if anybody was watching. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, she instantly became a stream of photons.

"Paige, nice of you to orb in," Piper greeted, as she set Chris down in the play pen next to Wyatt. "Here Chris, play with the pretty doggie."

"What did I miss?"

"Nothing yet. Leo called from Magic School. He said that the Elders have assigned us a temporary Whitelighter until a new one is found. He wouldn't say much about this person. He just said that we would really like her."

"Female Whitelighter this time?" Paige repeated.

"Yeah."

"New Whitelighter?" Phoebe asked as she walked in from the kitchen.

"Yeah. That's what Leo called about. A female this time. Leo should be here with her soon."

A door appeared at the second floor landing and Leo stepped out alone.

"Where is she?" Paige asked.

"She kinda wants to meet Paige first. She didn't say why."

"Okay, must be a Whitelighter thing," Phoebe said looking at Piper.

"We'll be in the kitchen then," Piper said, dragging her sister with her.

"You can orb down now," Leo announced.

A stream of orbs appeared next to Leo.

Paige gasped in surprise. "Oh my God!"

"Hey Paige. Great to see you in person finally," Prudence Halliwell grinned at Paige's face.

"You- you're our Whitelighter?" Paige breathed out.

"Yes!" Prue said

"I don't believe it! My big sister!" Paige cried rushing to her as Leo quietly walked away to Piper and Phoebe.

"Hey Missy Paige," Prue said hugging her. Then the two heard another set of cries followed by two more sets of arms around them.

"I don't believe it!" Piper cried.

"We missed you so much!"

"I know you guys. I was watching you. Even you Paige. Mom was right. You look just like me."

"Duh, she's our baby sister!" Piper quipped.

That earned her a punch in the arm from Prue and Paige. "Ah! Double trouble!"

Paige and Prue broke the hug. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Prue asked mischeviuosly.

"They are the middle sisters...," Paige said catching on.

"Get them!" they cried in unison. Paige grabbed Phoebe. Prue did the same to Piper. They wrestled on the floor in a tickle war.

Then Piper and Prue decided to help Phoebe tackle Paige.

"Hey!" Paige shouted when they started picking at her. "No fair Prue!"

"All's fair in love and war!" Prue shouted.

"Fine then. Pillows! Sisters!"

Her three older sisters were each hit in the head with a pillow.

Using the distraction, Paige orbed out of the war zone and behind Prue. "Gotcha!"

She caught Prue's hands behind her back.

"Okay! I give up! You win Paige!" Prue said as the others laughed. "You are one stubborn sister."

"I don't stop until I get what I want!"

"Sounds like someone else I know," Piper said.

"I wonder who it could be though," Phoebe egged on as she sat on the couch with Piper.

"You know you love us," Prue said as she and Paige joined them on the couch.

"Hey! This couch isn't big enough for four people!" Piper exclaimed.

"Get used to it!" Paige ribbed back.

"I can't believe the Elders assigned you as our Whitelighter if only temporary," Phoebe said a few minutes later.

"Well, the Elders have a message for you. My three other charges are also sisters. They are somehow related to us, but they don't know that they are witches yet. They want you to help me show them their heritage. They are very vulnerable right now especially since they are teenagers."

"Teenagers?" Piper repeated.

"Well March, the oldest, is twenty. The Elders really wanted me to watch her. She is part of a prophecy that the Elders made a thousand years ago. They haven't given me any details yet. They live in a small town in Alabama. April and May are in high school. March is a sophomore in college."

"How are they related to us?" Paige asked.

"Their ancestry is the same as ours, beginning with Melinda Warren and all. It is the same until about one hundred years ago. One of our great aunts married a Cherokee man. They moved to Alabama to be closer to his tribe. He was a medicine man for his village. That makes their magic stronger than normal. It's their lineage, our lineage, that makes them Charmed too. We need to help them with the Craft."

"Well, looks like we get to go to good ole' Alabama," Paige said. "Yee-haw!"

"You'd stick out like a sore thumb, Missy Paige," Piper said shaking her head in dismay.

"So would the rest of us," Prue added. "We can set up in hotel room and pretend that we are visiting family."

"Which we are of course. Sounds like a plan to me. Can't wait to experience that famous Southern Hospitality," Phoebe exclaimed.

"You guys are hopeless," Prue replied looking at her baby sisters.

"I'll call and book a hotel in..." Piper said looking to Prue for a location.

"Huntsville. The Rocket City."

"Oh, nice," Piper said. "How long?"

"Just a couple of days."

"Okay."

There you go! Chapter 3 is in the record books. What do you guys out there think? By the way, Huntsville is a real town in Alabama and it it is really called the Rocket City. Anyone who can tell me why it is called this might just get a mention in this story. Good luck!


	4. Chapter 4

Welcome back. Chapter 4 is in the record books now. And now the answer to my question in the last chapter. Huntsville is called the Rocket City because it is home to the Redstone Arsenal (home of Marshall Space Flight Center) where NASA designs and tests systems for rockets. Huntsville is also home to the Space and Rocket Center. It has full scale mock-ups of the Saturn V rocket and the Space Shuttle (The Pathfinder). It also is home to Space Camp and a real Saturn V rocket. Very cool place to visit. Anyway, On with the story!

Chapter 4

Sweet Home Alabama

Two hours later, the girls were ready to go to Alabama. "Are we orbing to Alabama?" Phoebe asked.

"Yeah, We can rent a car and get a map once we get there," Piper said. "Leo is watching the kids. And my new manager is taking over the club. I'd say we're ready to go."

"I can send my column in on my laptop," Phoebe said, refering to the advice column she wrote for the San Fransisco Bay Mirror.

"Okay, hold on to your luggage," Prue said as the girls gathered in a circle, making sure that they were touching the luggage.

Prue orbed them to a back alley next to the hotel.

"Whoa! It is hot out here!" Paige complained.

"You'll get used to it," Prue said. "Okay, into the traffic."

The four girls eased into the stream of people and walked into the hotel. They checked in and were sent to their rooms. Paige and Prue shared a room. Piper and Phoebe shared the other room.

"I'm going to go out to a gas station and pick up a map so that we can find a car rental place," Prue said. "I do know this place better than y'all after all."

"Y'all?" Piper repeated with a giggle.

Prue just shrugged and walked away.

Paige looked out the windows at the life sized replica of the Space Shuttle. "I want to see that shuttle. It looks so cool."

"They call it the Pathfinder,"a person said. "You obviously aren't from around here are you?"

"No, San Fransisco," Paige answered.

"Big city girl huh? I grew up in a small town in Mississippi. Been Southern all my life."

"Really," Paige said. "I can't imagine what country life is like."

"It ain't quite like what the movies say. Hope you enjoy your stay here."

"Thank you," Paige said as the person moved away.

"Come on City Girl," Piper said. "We can sight-see later. Let's just go upstairs and wait for Prue."

The three girls went up stairs to their rooms.

March wasn't having a good day. She kept having a feeling that something was off, but didn't know the source of that feeling. She brushed it off momentarily to enjoy a movie with her sisters. Her sisters had selected one of the Star Wars movies. May wouldn't tell her which one it was, but she suspected that it was The Empire Strikes Back. It was May's favorite.

No surprise, she was right. She sat down comfortably on the couch between her sisters and watched the movie. All through the movie, she still had the nagging sense that something was not right.

"I love this part!" May exclaimed as Princess Leia and Han Solo kissed for the first time just before being interrupted by Threepio.

"You are a hopeless romantic!" April exclaimed throwing popcorn at her.

"Hey, keep your popcorn to yourself Laser brains!"

"Okay! Enough you two. Just watch the movie," March replied, getting uncharacteristically agitated.

"What crawled up your butt and died?" April asked huffily.

"I don't know. Just a bad feeling. It's nothing," March said trying to drop the subject.

"I don't think so Missy. You're bad feelings are usually right," April said.

"I don't know," March said. "Just something isn't right. I can feel it."

May stopped the movie. "Let's take a walk. You can vent your frustrations while you walk."

March nodded. "Let's go."

Prue orbed some time later with a map in her hands and stuffing car keys in her pocket.

"Nice of you to orb in," Piper quipped throwing her big sister a look.

"What? It was quicker than walking. I parked the car out back then snuck into an elevator and orbed."

"You got the map so show us where to go," Phoebe said supressing a grin.

Prue unfolded the map. "Okay, the girls live outside Huntsville in this little town," she pointed to it on the map. "We are right here just a few miles away from UAH, the college that March goes to."

"Okay, let's scry for them and find them," Paige suggested. "Scrying crystal!"

It appeared in her hand. "You do it. You have a better connection to them than we do." She handed the crystal to Prue.

Prue took the crystal and circled it around the map. She cleared her mind searching for her charges. The crystal stopped on a point on the map, next to a small creek.

"Come on guys," Prue said taking Piper's hand. The four girls orbed to the creek.

Just in time to see a demon throwing a ball of flame at the girls!

Oh no! Evil cliffhangers, don't ya just hate them?Oh well, tune in for the next installment to see what happens next.


	5. Chapter 5

Hey Everybody! AstronomyGirl85 back with Chapter 5 of Tis the Season. Now, you get to know what happens after that evil cliffhanger. Plus, some questions are answered. What's the deal with march? What are the girls' powers? Read on to find out.

Chapter 5

Witches? Whitelighters? Demons?

"Feel better now that you've yelled and screamed the fish away?" April asked sitting down on the grass next to March.

"A little but I can't shake the feeling that we're being watched," March replied as she slipped off her sandals and put her feet in the water.

"I think that you are just over reacting or something," May commented as she searched the creek bed for arrowheads.

"You certainly watch the news too much," April added with a wry smile. "You're acting paranoid."

May joined them as March playfully socked April on the shoulder. Then they heard a rustling in the bushes behind them.

"What was that?" April asked looking over her shoulder.

"Probably just a rabbit or something," March commented. "Now who's being paranoid?"

"Ha ha. Very funny. A rabid bunny dying to make a meal of us!" April said sarcastically.

"Uh, that's not a bunny!" May exclaimed.

"Right witches," someone said emerging from the bushes. "I'm your worst nightmare." He paused, noting the girls' confused and frightened faces. "What's the matter witches? Don't recognise a demon when you see one?"

"Demon?" May repeated.

"Yes. Demon. And it's time for you to die witches!" He laughed evilly and generated a ball of flame that he threw right towards them.

March threw her sisters behind her preparing to take the worst of the fire. March watched in horror as the wall came closer. March saw blinding white lights surround her and her sisters. A second later, they were gone and the fire was gone too, leaving March utterly confused.

"Whitelighters!" the demon screamed.

"Try to stop this ball of fire!" a woman said thrusting out her hands. The warlock suddenly blew up in a million particles, leaving only a scorch mark on the grass. Three other woman appeared behind the first.

"What in Heaven's name jsut happened?"

"Piper just blew that demon up," one of the women said casually, as if it happened everyday.

"What?" April exclaimed. "How?"

"How did you even get here?" May asked.

"Who are you?" March asked.

"We used magic. We are witches with real powers. That demon was out to kill you," the one called "Piper" answered. "Probably for status in the Underworld."

"We don't have powers. You've got the wrong sisters," March said shaking her head.

"All right then," the one with the blue eyes said. "Tell me how you didn't get killed by that fire wall."

"It was an illusion," March rationalized. "I saw bright lights and then the fire was gone."

"That fire wasn't a mirage March," April corrected. "We saw it too."

"It was magic. You are witches. Just like us," the blue-eyed woman answered.

"Wow!" May awed. March sent her a scowl.

"There is no way that magic exists. It's a bunch of trickery and gimmicks!" March exclaimed frantic.

"Prue," another one with snow white skin stepped forward. "Let's show them that magic is real."

Prue, the blue-eyed woman, nodded. "You see that scorch mark in the grass?"

The sisters nodded. "Repeat this with me. 'Let the object of objection become but a dream as I cause the seen to be unseen.'"

March repeated the incantation. In a swirl of gold lights, the scorch mark was gone!

She gasped in surprise. Then frowned. "Very funny. Where's the mirror?"

"No mirror," the snow white skninned one said. She picked up a rock and hurled it at March.

March yelped in fright and saw those bright blue lights again. She didn't feel the impact of the rock though. Strange.

"Where'd the rock go? It didn't hit me."

"No, you sort of turned into light and it passed through you," May said shocked.

"She's right," April confirmed. "I saw it too."

"My god. It is real. Magic is real. That demon thing really wanted to kill us! I gotta sit down," March said plopping unceremoniously on the creek bed.

"Yes," Piper said. "Magic is very real girls, and we can teach you how to use the Craft. I'm Piper Halliwell. These are my sisters Paige, Prue, and Phoebe."

"March Baytown and these are my sisters April and May. Our mom liked those months. Springtime."

"I see," Phoebe, the athletic one, said with a smile.

"All you have to do is come with us and we can teach you how to be witches. Potion making, spells, curses. We can teach you all of that." Paige, snow white skinned, replied.

"Cool!" May exclaimed. "I always wanted to have magical powers."

"You always did. You just need to call for them," Piper affirmed.

"I'm still a little skeptical about all of this, but I have a open mind," March said slowly. "Let's give this a try."

"Okay, let's walk to your house and we can begin the summoning spell," Prue suggested.

"Hang on a sec. I remember that demon thingy shouting something about Whitelighters. What are they?" April asked.

"We'll explain when you receive your powers in the safety of your home," Paige answered. "It isn't safe to talk about magic in public."

The seven girls walked the short distance to the Baytown home.

March, April, and May sat in the living room facing the four Halliwells. "What do we need to call our powers?" May asked.

"You need your Book of Shadows," Paige said. "It would be hidden somewhere."

"An old trunk?"

"Right March. Mom's old trunk. She never let us look in the trunk. I believe she kept it hidden under her bed," May realised. "She caught me looking at it once."

"Okay, we'll get it," March said beckoning to April.

The oldest sisters went to the bedroom.

"This thing is heavy!" The Halliwell sisters heard April exclaim.

"Quit whining and just concentrate on carrying it," March admonished her younger sister.

A few moments later, the sisters appeared lugging a huge trunk between them.

"A little help here!" April exclaimed through gritted teeth.

Prue used her telekinesis and got a firm hold of it with her mind. She slowly slid it to the center of the living room.

"Such a convenient power," she exclaimed with a smile.

Piper and Phoebe rolled their eyes.

"Where's the keys?" May asked.

"Mom had them," April said sadly.

"No problem," Paige said holding out her hand. "Lock!" The lock orbed into her extended hand.

"Cool power!" April said in awe.

"Okay, let's see what's in this old trunk," March said opening the dusty lid, sneezing a bit.

March pulled out a few doubled edged steel daggers, three of them with gemstones on them.

"Athames," Piper explained. "They channel a witch's power. Handy for vanquishes."

"One for each of you," Paige said looking at them. "Aquamarine, diamond, and emerald; March, April, and May."

"Next are herbs and spices. Potion ingredients?" March asked.

Phoebe nodded.

March and April pulled the spices out of the trunk. Then, they found a box of vials. Their use was obvious with the ingredients. Next they found a crystal on a chain attached to various maps.

"Scrying crystal," Prue explained. "It is used to locate witches, bad guys, and innocents."

April put them aside.

Then, they found various assortments of amulets, crystals, and charms. Finally, at the bottom of the trunk was a dusty old book with the triquetra symbol on it.

"This must be our Book of Shadows," March replied pulling it out. "It looks ancient!"

"Three hundred years old," Phoebe clarified.

"That's our symbol," Piper said looking at the cover.

"The triquetra. The symbol of the trinity. Three united together as one," May supplied. "I have to do a research paper on the Salem Witch Trials. Now, I guess I'm getting to know more about them than the average person."

"Our ancestor Melinda Warren was burnt at the stake," Phoebe explained. She launched into the story of how a warlock had betrayed her, the curse she set on him, and how the Charmed Ones had brought her back to curse the warlock again.

"Wow!" May exclaimed. "I'll use some of that in my paper, minus the bringing back from the dead stuff."

"Okay," Prue said opening the book. "The power spell is the same as ours. The three of you need to link together then say this spell together."

The Baytown girls joined hands and chanted:

"Hear now the words of the witches

The secrets we hid in the night

The oldest of gods are invoked here

The great work of magic is sought

In this night and in this hour

We call upon the ancient power

We want the power

Give us the power!"

A bright light glowed around them encircling them in warmth. "Whoa!" March exclaimed as she felt the light wash over her.

Suddenly, the light faded away. "How do you guys feel?" Prue asked.

"I feel powerful, confident. I feel like I can do anything."

March and May echoed April's sentiments.

"Okay, the Elders told me that your powers are conjuring, electrokinesis, and invisibility. March, you are obviuosly the one who can orb. We just saw that at the creek. You are the Whitelighter that the demon was yelling about," Prue replied.

"So now do we get to learn what a Whitelighter is?" April asked.

"There should be some information about them in the book." Prue looked up. "The Elders are calling me. I'll see you later." She orbed out, shocking March.

"What the crap was that?"

"That, March, was orbing," Paige explained. "That's a Whitelighter power."

"They can also heal, sense their charges, shapeshift, and they can speak multiple languages," Piper added.

"So, that's why I have an affinity for foreign languages!" March exclaimed. "Ich kann Deutsch und Spanisch sprechen."

"Wunderbar!" Paige laughed.

"I never knew you could speak German, Paige," Phoebe said.

"I'm not fluent in it, but I do know a few phrases."

"So now what? How do we find our powers?" May asked.

"When we first got our powers," Phoebe started, "they were tied to our emotions. Piper's first power, freezing time, was triggered when she was scared. Prue's telekinesis was triggered by anger. Paige's power, telekinetic orbing, was triggered when she wanted something."

"And yours?" April pressed.

"Tactile contact with something. The power of premonitions."

"Our powers grow as we grow. As you saw, I can now blow things up as well as freeze," Piper said.

"I can levitate and I can read people's emotions," Phoebe added.

"Empathy," March nodded in understanding.

"I can orb like a Whitelighter, shape shift, and sense evil."

"Prue can astral project along with her Whitelighter powers," Piper finished after Paige.

"Astral project?" April repeated.

"She can project an image of herself with her mind," Phoebe explained.

After a few moments of silence, March sighed. "So, I'll have all the powers of a Whitelighter?"

"As far as we know, yes," Paige answered.

There was another swirl of orbs and Prue formed.

"Okay, what did the Elders say?" Piper asked.

"Well, they told me more about March. Remember when we summoned Melinda Warren to stop that warlock, Matthew Tate?"

"Piper and Phoebe told me about that," Paige said.

"Well, when we asked her what she saw in the future, and she said she saw many generations of her daughters, she saw the three of you as well. You three are our distant cousins which makes you Charmed Ones as well."

"That's cool and all, but what does this have to do with me?" March asked.

"A thousand years ago, an Elder-who could see the future-made a prophecy that one day a witch would be born with the soul of a Whitelighter in her. She would be the eldest of her sisters and have the power to conjure. She will be destined to do great things in life and in death. March, you are that witch."

March, stunned beyond words, nearly fell onto the couch, eyes wide as saucers. When she found her voice she said, "Whoa! Talk about a burden on your shoulders." She swallowed hard. "I have all of these powers inside me? All the powers of a Whitelighter?"

"Yes. And when you have learned enough, you will be assigned charges. You also have the privilege of orbing up there-to the heavens-to talk with the Elders."

"So my Charmed one power is conjuring? How do I trigger it?"

"My guess is that you really have to want to find something," Paige said, "Like my power."

"Okay," March nodded.

"So the two of us will have either electrokinesis or invisibility?" April queried.

"Yes," Prue affirmed.

"We just have to find a way to make you trigger your powers."

"Nothing like a demon hunt to trigger a latent power," Phoebe added.

"Too bad there's no demon around to vanquish," Paige said. "Yet."

"We'll just have to do this the old fashion way," Piper said nodding at her sisters. "Let's see, electrokinesis is probably anger responsive."

"I can make April mad very easily," March said.

"She has quite the temper at times," May added.

"Oh yeah. She starts screaming and throwing things..."

"Yeah, she's got deadly aim when she's riled..."

"Guys! I'm standing right here!" April said heatedly.

"Yeah," March said without pause. "She'll definitely has that spark of electricity when she's angry."

"Of course she won't take it out on us..."

"Stop it!" April exclaimed still seething.

"Yeah, like that time she knocked a hole in her bedroom wall."

"I'm..Standing right..here girls..." April said icily.

March and May continued on not quite oblivious to her temper rising.

"Took us a week to fix that."

"STOP IT!" April shouted throwing her hands up in her anger.

Only to jump as electricity crackled between her hands, sending a shock through her system.

April swore, shaking her hand to bring feeling to it--only to send lightning hurling to the wall.

April jumped again.

"Feel less angry?" March asked with a smirk.

"Oh, that was cruel." She turned to the older Charmed Ones. "They know I hate it when they talk about me when I'm right in front of them."

"So, my power is invisibility. Great, a passive power," May said with a sigh.

"It kinda makes sense May. You are the shy one, you just want to disappear when you're in front of your peers," April said.

"Ain't that the truth," May agreed.

"I can alway teach you self defense. I had the passive powers too. So I had to learn how to defend myself," Phoebe said.

"Okay."

"I'm a natural born fighter. I even took a few years of karate," April said throwing a few punches in the air.

"As for you March. You are pacifist by nature. It's a Whitelighter thing."

"I never liked fighting anyway, Prue. I always perfer the pen to the sword."

"You'd make a good spell writer then," Phoebe said.

"Don't count May out. She's a good writer too."

"Yeah," May said meekly. "Hey, how'd you know?" she said suddenly.

"I snuck a peak at your stories. They're great Sweetie," March said patting her little sister on the shoulder.

There was a moment of silence. "We are supposed to train you in the ways of witchcraft," Prue finally spoke up. "We should go to the Manor for that. It is a lot safer. Our house was built on a spiritual nexus."

"I've heard about those," April piped up, surprising her sisters. "What? I do read every once in a while. A spiritual nexus is a neutral place that can be used for great good or great evil. It is a place equidistant from the five elements: earth, air, fire, water, and metal."

"Right. That is where our powers are the strongest. Yours should be stronger as well. Your house wasn't built on a spiritual nexus."

"Okay, so we get to go to San Fransisco and train with you? That sounds like fun."

"May? What about your report on the Witch Trials?" March reminded her.

"It's not due until April. It's middle March. Plenty of time. Plus I'm half finished with the report all ready."

"You really get into your school work don't you?" March smiled.

"Hey, someone has to live up to your reputation!" May exclaimed.

"Okay, we have to go check out of the hotel. Can you be ready in an hour?" Prue asked after the bantering stopped.

The girls nodded.

"All right. We will see you then." Prue took her sisters' hands and orbed out out the Baytown home.

There y'all go! Chapter 5 is done without another evil cliffhanger! Next Chapter oughta be up soon! Until then, Auf wiedersehen!


	6. Chapter 6

O si yo everybody! That's Cherokee for hello. I'm back with chapter 6 of Tis the Season. Sorry, it's been a few days since the last update. College is a real downer sometimes. Research papers...studyinf for finals...you get the idea. Anyways, have fun with this next episode.

Chapter 6

A Very Rude Welcome to You

"Ready to go?" Prue asked the girls a while later.

"Ready," March said, hoisting her backpack on her shoulders.

"Paige will take Piper, Phoebe, and May. I'll take March and April."

"Take our hands," Piper indicated to May. Paige orbed the four of them out to San Fransisco.

"Okay, you know the drill," Prue said.

They followed in a stream of photons.

"Welcome to Halliwell Manor," Piper said as the three orbed in.

"Nice crib," April exclaimed looking around.

"Yeah, I love the antiques!" March exclaimed.

"Good place to vanquish a demon!" Paige said ducking, pulling May with her, as an energy ball zoomed past them.

Phoebe levitated over another energy ball then dropped a kick on the demon's shaggy head.

"March look out!" Paige exclaimed as the demon shimmered behind the young Whitelighter.

March gasped and orbed out.

Prue orbed behind the demon and punched him in the skull.

"Energy ball!" Paige called. The energy ball flew back at the demon who shimmered out.

March orbed back in.

"Whitelighters!" the demon cried.

"May!" Phoebe cried hovering nearby. "Concentrate on fleeing!"

May nodded as she peered around the couch.

"Hey you smelly demon! Block this!" Piper exclaimed throwing her hands out in an explosive force.

The demon's hand exploded. He let out a yowl of pain.

"Shut up before you lose another body part!" April yelled.

"Stupid witch!"

"You asked for it! How 'bout a little fried demon!" April quipped throwing lightning at the demon's other hand.

It exploded as well.

"I can still get the mongrel novice!" the demon sneered concentrating on May.

"No!" May screamed. Then her body went transparent. In a flash, she was gone!

"Come out little witchy!"

Suddenly, he was dropped by an invisible force. May had jumped him from behind. The demon shook her off violently. March heard a muffled yelp as May hit the floor.

"That's it!" March exclaimed concentrating hard. A swirl of orbs formed in her hand, and she threw it without thinking. "Nobody messes with my baby sister!" A dagger formed in midair and struck the demon in the heart.

"No!" the demon exclaimed. "My brothers will find you! This is not the end!" The demon died in a shower of flames.

"Nice one, girls!" Piper said with a grin.

May reformed beside April and sat down, moaning in pain.

"That demon scratched my arms when I jumped him."

"Don't worry, Whitelighters have healing powers."

Prue placed her hands over May's wounds and healed the scratches.

"Wow," March breathed at the warm light that flowed from Prue's hands. "I can do that too?"

Prue nodded looking upwards.

"What?" March asked. Suddenly, a loud buzzing sound filled her ears. It was like a jack hammer pounding her head. She covered her ears and cried out.

"March? What is it?" Phoebe asked.

"A loud buzzing sound in my ears," March forced out.

"The Elders are calling you," Paige reasoned. "I heard that sound when I was first assigned charges. I had to learn how to tune it out until it became a soft jingle."

"Assigned charges?"

"Yeah," Prue nodded. "Come on. We need to orb up there to see them."

March took Prue's hand. They disappeared in a stream of orbs.

"Hey, the buzzing stopped!" March said with relief as they rematerialized in the clouds.

March took in her surroundings. Yep, they were standing on clouds all right. Her voice echoed through the heavens drawing attention from other Whitelighters.

"You have brought a mortal here!" one Whitelighter in a white robe exclaimed. "You know that that is against the rules Prudence Halliwell."

"She is destined to be here," one with a gold robe answered back. "Calm yourself Derrick. March Baytown, welcome to the domain of the Whitelighters. I am the Elder Erron. I am the one who prophesised your coming. It is a great honor to see that prophecy fulfilled."

"Pleasure to meet you Elder Erron," March said inclining her head.

"Call me Erron, child. You need not bother with formalities. Come now, March and let us talk. Prue, you may return."

Prue orbed out.

"So March, what do you think of this place?" Erron asked as they walked.

"It is very peaceful, calming. I feel tranquil up here."

"Most Whitelighters do feel calm up here. Usually a good person has to die to become a full Whitelighter. This is not so with you. Yes, child, Prue died four years ago by the hand of a powerful demon called Shax. Her death led to the finding of Paige Matthews, and the Power of Three was reborn. Now with the Charmed Circle completed with the three of you and Prue, you are the greatest source of good in the world."

"I understand."

"Now, we must begin your initiation to full Whitelighter status."

March followed Erron into a chamber off to the side. It was solid white and empty, save for a golden altar lit by two white candles.

"Kneel before the altar."

"March Baytown, do you swear to take on the duties and responsibilities that come with the powers of a Whitelighter? Will you promise to protect and to guide the innocents and serve them well in their greatest need?"

"I accept those duties."

"Do you promise to aide your charges to your greatest of abilities?" Erron continued.

"I promise," March said clearly.

"As it is willed, so mote it be."

"So mote it be," March echoed.

Erron placed his right hand over March. She was instantly bathed in warm, golden light. When the light lifted, she was donned in a white robe.

"Welcome, my child. Heed Prue's advice. She shall train you in the ways of the Whitelighter. When you have progressed enough, you will be assigned charges to guide. Now, you must return to your family. Concentrate on them and will yourself to them."

March closed her eyes, picturing her sisters in her mind. She felt herself orb.

When she opened her eyes, she was back at the Halliwell manor. "Welcome back Whitelighter," Prue said with a knowing smile.

"You knew about this. You knew about the initiation?"

"Yes. And as a Whitelighter, you can't tell them anything about up there, so don't even think about Missy."

"It was so beautiful."

Prue laughed with comprehension. "Come. No time like the present to begin training."

March followed Prue up to the attic.

"First off, we need to get your orbing under control. You'll want to orb to place to place instead of just when you're scared. Let's just try staying in one spot first."

"Okay," March said.

"Close your eyes. Find the spot where you feel at peace; that's where your power is. Make it grow...stronger...stronger...Now just do it."

March felt herself move out of the room and then back. She opened her eyes. "Did I do it?"

"You did," Prue said with a smile.

"Wow," March said in awe.

"You'll get the hang of it soon enough."

There ya go people. This chapter is history. Look for the next chapter soon. Wish me luck on my finals!


	7. Chapter 7

Hey everybody! Astronomygirl85 back again with another chapter of Tis the Season. Sorry that it has been a few days. School, work...you know the drill. Anyway, enjoy the new chapter!

Chapter 7

March's First Charges

The weeks passed. The Baytown girls spent most of their spare time at the Halliwell manor practicing and learning the Craft. The girls finished off another school year. March passed all of her classes and was looking forward to college life as a junior. April graduated high school without making too much of a bang. May managed to give her report on the Salem Witch Trials without turning herself invisible. All three were looking forward to a very interesting summer.

March sat in the sunroom reading a science fiction novel. April and May were in the basement with Phoebe studying martial arts. Paige was out with one of her charges-probably the witch in Portugal. Prue was up there with the Elders talking about March's training. As for Piper and Leo, they were out at the park with the boys.

March froze when she heard footsteps behind her. She turned, but saw no one. The footsteps continued. March understood what was going on. She opened her senses and discovered not just one, but both her sisters trying to sneak up on her.

March opened her eyes and kept reading, pretending not to notice anything.

She sensed them getting right up in front of her...

She orbed out on them.

"How'd she know it was us?" May exclaimed as she and April turned visible again.

April shook her head as March materialized behind them and sent conjured snowballs at their heads.

"You were too noisy. I heard your footsteps," March explained. "Don't wear boots next time April."

April used her power to dry herself and May off. "She's getting too good with her powers."

"Well, I've been praticing a lot."

"So have they," Phoebe said from the archway. "May has a hard drop kick. And April can knock a target a foot back with a punch."

There was a swirl of orbs and Paige formed.

"March, do you mind?" she asked holding her hand over a wound in her shoulder. "I had to orb my charge out of the line of fire after we vanquished the warlock, but he got me with his power."

"I've never healed anyone before," March said reluctantly.

"You can do it. Just channel your love through you. That's where your healing power comes from."

March held her hands over the wound and channeled her powers. Her hands started to glow and slowly, the wound healed.

"You did it."

"Uh huh," March said. "I'm exhausted. That took a lot out of me."

"It was your first time Sweetie. It's bound to be tiring for the first couple of tries," Paige said with a reassuring smile. "Take a nap."

"Recharge your batteries," April said with a sly smile.

"Quiet Lightning Rod," March laughed.

Prue orbed in. "The Elders want to see you March."

"I'll take that rest idea later," March said orbing out.

Prue watched her go. "Why is she so exhausted?"

"She exercised her healing powers today," Paige answered. "She healed a shoulder injury I got from a warlock attack in Portugal."

"That girl get in over her head again?"

"Yeah and nearly got herself killed for it."

"So, what did the Elders want March for?" April asked.

"I'm not allowed to tell. You'll find out soon enough."

"I hate secrecy!" May exclaimed.

"Me too," Phoebe agreed "Though I am bad about keeping secrets. Except the big secret that we all share."

"Necessity Pheebs," Prue and Paige answered.

Prue continued, "Besides it is March's news to tell. Not mine. Shouldn't you two get back to your training?"

May and April sighed. "Yeah," May said. "I haven't managed to hold my invisible state for more than ten minutes yet."

"I still need help channeling my powers."

"Let's get cracking shall we?" Prue said looking at her sisters.

March stood before Erron. "You asked to see me?"

"Yes, March. Prue has informed us that your are making excellent progress in your training. I feel that you are ready for your first charges. I believe that you should know who they are already," Erron said with a smile.

March concentrated. "My cousins. Piper, Phoebe, and Paige."

"Correct. As you progress, you will receive more charges to guide. Now, you may return and give your family the news that they are anxious to hear."

March smiled and orbed out to her family in San Fransisco.

"So March, what's the news that Prue can't tell us about?" Phoebe asked as Piper and Leo entered through the front door.

"We're back you guys," Piper announced coming through the living room to meet them in the sunroom. She had Chris in her arms. Leo was leading Wyatt in behind them.

"We see that Piper. March has some news for us," Paige said as they took seats.

"Well?" Piper inquired.

"The Elders believe that I am ready for charges so they assigned me to three."

"Who?" Phoebe asked.

"Well, they are from San Fransisco and very powerful witches from what I hear."

"We might know them," Paige chimed in.

"You know them very well. All of us do," March toned risking a glance at Prue.

She had a small grin on her face. She was trying hard to keep from laughing.

"Who are they then?" Piper asked.

March saw Leo's face change from curiousity to recognition.

"I think I know who you're talking about," he added playing along.

"Yeah, they are strong witches," Prue egged on.

"Who?" All five girls chimed in unison.

March and Prue finally cracked and started laughing.

"You guys!" March blurted out.

"What?" April exclaimed.

"Yes, the three P's over there staring dumbfoundedly are my charges!" March exclaimed bent over in laughter.

"You guys were completely clueless!" Prue laughed. "It was funny!"

"They are going to pay for that," Piper muttered to Phoebe and Paige.

"Can we get in on it too?" April asked indicating herself and May as the Whitelighters continued chuckling.

"Prue, I think it's time for us to ske-daddle outta here!" March said as April got a menacing grin on her face.

"Oh no you don't!" March exclaimed, realizing what her younger sister was up to.

"Oh yes, I am!" April said pouncing on her big sister.

"No!" March shrieked as April tackled her and started tickling her.

May willingly joined in.

"Stop..it..guys!" March laughed. "Uncle! Uncle!"

"We have something different in mind for our Whitelighter sister," Paige said looking at her older sisters.

"Uh oh!" Prue exclaimed running out of the sunroom.

The seven girls enjoyed the rest of the day chasing each other around the manor.

The next couple of days were rather peaceful. No nasty vanquishes or innocents to save. It was quiet in the magical world. Too quiet according to Piper. She was getty a little antsy around the house. So, she busied herself in the kitchen working on dinner for that night hoping that her favorite past time would calm her fried nerves.

She finished mixing the dough for her dinner rolls then checked on the pasta that was cooking on the oven. She stirred it quickly and went back to work on her dinner rolls.

"Hey! Something smells good in here," May's voice drifted suddenly from behind her.

Piper jumped throwing her hands up to freeze position.

"May! You scared the heck out of me!" Piper calmed herself.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to. Just wanted to get some water to drink."

"It's okay. I'm just a little nervous. The lack of demonic activity is bothering me a bit. That usually means that the Underworld is up to something big. And it usually has something to do with us."

"What fun," May said sarcastically.

Just then the door burst open. May and Piper could hear April screaming bloody murder at her older sister.

"You should have let me electrocute that stupid excuse for a human being!"

"April, you know we can't use our powers for revenge. It will turn us evil, into warlocks," March responded calmly.

"You could have at least let me karate chop his lights out," April grumbled furiously.

"And what would that have solved? You would have just gotten into more trouble."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Pacifist March, always running from a fight."

Piper couldn't hear March's answer, if she had even given one. She just heard April stump off in a huff to the solarium. She was muttering something about her "stupid Whitelighter sister."

Moments later, March entered the kitchen,her face quite calm, but her eyes held the stormy emotions she was undoubtly feeling.

"What was that about?" May asked as Piper put her pots and pans in the sink and pulled up a chair to listen as well.

"April's temper getting the best of her. We were walking through Golden Gate Park when we bumped into some stranger. He dropped his wallet when he bumped into us. April picked it up and went to give it to him. The man automatically assumed that we had picked his pocket and that we had beliberately bumped into him. April nearly throttled the guy for insinuating such a horrendous thing. Luckily some bystanders saw the whole thing and smoothed things over. I managed to orb April away before she electrocuted that idiot."

"Oh, so that's why she was yelling. How did you manage to get away without being seen?" Piper asked.

"I dragged April into a grove of trees that was nearby and orbed. She'll get over it. She just needs to fume and throw things for a while."

"Yeah, it'll be a good idea to stay away from her for an hour or too. Especially you March."

"Yeah May. I know." She eyes grew distant for a moment. "Paige is calling me. I'll be back." March orbed out.

"Like some help? I'm not as good as March in the kitchen, but I need to keep my hands busy right now."

"Sure."

That's all for now amigos. Catch you in a day or so for the next chapter. Auf wiedersehen!


	8. Chapter 8

Yikes! It's been that long since I've updated? Sorry, work, finals...you know the drill.Thank goodness finals are over for this semester! Now, I have more time to update and work through my writer's cramp. Anyway, to answer a question: Prue is the cousin's Whitelighter, but was only filling in for her sisters until March could get enough training to become their Whitelighter. Hope that clears up the confusion. Next chapter: The plot thickens...

Chapter 8

Premonitions and Secret Thoughts

Phoebe glanced at the piled letters on her desk and sighed. Her pile was getting gradually smaller, but still towered a foot on the desk. She had found one letter to repond to, but needed to find a few more. She grabbed a few off of the stack and sifted through them one by one.

This continued for half an hour, Phoebe was continuously tapping her fingers on her desk in boredom. After a while, she decided to take a break and stretch her tired muscles.

She took off her glasses and laid them on her desk. She reached for her now cold latte, her fingers just grazing a picture of her family...

A premonition hit full force, causing her to tighten up once more.

_Human like demon with glowing eyes hurling fireballs at Piper and April_

_April ducking_

_A swirl of orbs forms into March and Prue._

_A shot of electricity..._

_A scream from someone she couldn't see._

_Pain..._

_Fireballs shooting toward Prue from behind..._

Phoebe pulled out of the premonition with a gasp. "Oh, god. I've got to get to the Manor!"

She hurriedly scooped up the rest of the letters on her desk and hurried out of the office startling her boss, Elise.

"Elise, I'm working at home for the rest of the day." She bolted without waiting for a response leaving Elise dumbfounded.

She looked for her keys as she ran to the elevator. Minutes later, she sped away in her silver Mini.

"I hope I'm not too late," she though desperately as she took a sharp left turn.

Aprill flipped through the Book of Shadows. She had hoped that the ancient tome would somehow have a calming effect as she flipped through the pages. No luck so far. She was about to give up when she found a very interesting spell...

"'To Hear Ones' Secret Thoughts,'" April said. "Cool. Sometimes I'd just for once want to know what goes on inside of my big sister's head." She took a deep breath and recited the words, not knowing that her cousins had tried the same thing many years before to find a warlock...

"That was easy," she replied moments later. "I don't feel any different though. Did the spell even work?"

_Only one way to find out_, she thought to herself. _Try it out and see_.

She walked downstairs to the living room where her sisters were practicing their powers.

"Hey April," March greeted tentatively. "God, I hope she's not mad at me anymore."

"No, I'm not mad at you," April replied instantly.

"What?" March asked.

"You said 'I hope she's not mad at me anymore.' I'm not."

"I didn't say anything. I thought it. Can you read minds or something now?"

_It worked! Hooray! _

"Wow! She's telepathic!" May exclaimed excitedly. "Why can't I have cool powers like my sisters?"

"Cause you're the youngest," April answered her.

"Huh? I didn't say anything."

"This is not normal," March replied exasperatedly. "Prue!"

April heard her think. _"Prue will know what to do with this."_

Prue orbed in in a stream of orbs. "What's going on?" _Don't see any demons...What's going on?_

"I have a question. Are powers supposed to grow at random? I thought that the Book said that they would advance over time."

"You're right. What happened, did someone get a new power?" Prue asked.

"April's a mindreader," May replied.

"That's not connected to your other power." _You cast the "Hear Secrets" Spell, didn't you?_

"What? Okay, I did cast the spell. I wanted to know what makes my big sister such a pacifist. No big deal!"

"No big deal? April, you just used your magic for personal gain. There are always cosequences for your actions. They're not always good either," Prue ranted. _I should know. Piper and me cast the spell._

"Wait, you and Piper cast the spell once before?"

"What spell are you talking about?" March interrupted.

"I cast a spell to hear secret thoughts."

"Oh," March replied. _She's completely lost it._

"I heard that!"

"Stay outta my mind Lightning Rod!"

"What's going on down here?" Piper asked from the archway.

"April just broke a big Wiccan rule," Prue replied.

"Cast a spell for her own personal interests," May added.

"April! You should know better than that."

"I do now, but I was so mad at March."

A demon shimmers in at that moment. He is human like in appearance, April notices quickly. But he has the strangest eyes. They are glowing yellow.

"Duck Piper!" April screams as she pulls her cousin down with her to prevent a fireball from colliding with her head.

More fireballs are thrown at the Whitelighters. They orb themselves out of the way.

"No you don't you bloody demon!" April exclaims hearing his thoughts to attack her little sister. She shoots electricity at him, creating a gaping wound in his leg.

He roars in pain, thrashing his muscular arms about.

"Look out!" Too late. May in invisible mode is hit in the stomach with a painful "Omphh!" She had heard her sister's thoughts as she approached the creepy demon.

He shimmers out and reappears behind Prue. He strikes up another fireball-

The front door slams open and Phoebe runs in launching herself at the demon.

"Hiyah!" she exclaims, kicking the demon in mid air.

"Nice timing," March replied as she concentrated.

A conjured athame flew at him, but she lost her focus-

Just grazed him on the shoulder blade!

April nearly laughed out loud as she heard her sister issue an array of expletives that she didn't dare mention.

The demon sneered at them menacingly. "I'll be back witches!" he hissed in a reptilian sneer.

He shimmered out on that note.

"That was interesting," April commented. "I never want to be inside a demon's head again! Such...evil!"

March laughed. "Yeah. Wait a minute. Did you...?"

"Yeah, I never knew you had such an creative vocabulary."

"I never say them out loud."

"I've noticed. You're secret is safe with me. Jeez, I need to reverse this spell. It's giving me a headache!"

"There's your consequence, Sis. It came in handy, but there are always issues with personal gain spells."

"All right. I'm reversing it when we look up our glowing eyed demon. Happy _Mein Schwester_?"

"Ja, April." _When did she learn to speak German?_

"I didn't. I've just heard you say it enough," April replied as the six Charmed ones climbed the stairs to the attic.

"That is just so weird," March replied shaking her head.

There you go people! Nice long chapter to make up for lost time. The spell comes from season two of Charmed when Prue and Piper were trying to figure out if Jack and Dan(gagging, hated him) were warlocks. Anyway, let me know what you think. Catch you later for the next chapter.

Astronomygirl85


	9. Chapter 9

Wow! Sorry about the long delay. I will try very hard not to let my story go un-updated for that long again! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Anyway, here is the next installment of Tis the Season!

Chapter 9

Demon of Hypnosis

"Okay, human like demon with glowing yellow eyes," Prue muttered as the girls walked to their repective Books of Shadows. She telekinetically flipped the pages in the book. April and May scoured through their book finally reaching the section on demons.

"Any luck over there?" March asked joining her sisters.

"None, maybe I can make this go faster," Paige said. "Demon that just attacked us!" she called.

Both books' pages started flipping wildly. "Handy little power if I do say so myself."

Phoebe sent her a rather annoyed look. Paige just smiled back at her.

"Got him," Prue and March said simultaneously.

"They have been spending way too much time together up there," April replied looking at the Whitelighters and trying not to pick up on their thoughts.

"Xanthos, a demon of corruption," Prue read from the Book. "He is an upper level demon with glowing yellow eyes."

"Tell us something we don't know," May quipped sarcastically.

March sent a scowl her way. "Xanthos' power is to hypnotize nacent witches with his eyes and turn them evil. It would be wise to avoid looking straight into his eyes."

"Nice, just dandy. A demon is out to kill us because we are 'nacent' witches," April commented, voice dripping with sarcasm. "I need to reverse this bloody spell."

"Do it then. Just negate the spell that you used," Phoebe said.

"Okay...It was the spell to hear secret thoughts," April said.

"Oh great. Not that one again."

"Yeah, I wanted to get inside March's Whitelighter brain."

"Okay, but I think that there is a reversal spell in the Book," Prue said as she flipped through the pages once more. "Here."

April chanted:

"Secret thoughts I don't want to hear

Take them away from my mind's ear."

"So, can you hear what I'm thinking, Sis?" May asked afterwards.

"No. Thank the heavens!"

"Makes sense that this demon would call himself Xanthos," March said after a while.

"What do you mean?" Phoebe asked.

"The term 'xanthic' means 'yellow in color'. His eyes were yellow and his skin had an yellow tinge to it." March answered. "Don't look at me like that April. There is a reason why I go to college."

"Yeah, confuse us with fifty cent words when penny ones will do," April muttered.

"Is there any way to vanquish Xanthos?" Paige asked moving to stand next to Prue.

"There is a potion to blind him-keep him from hypnotizing witches, but no mention of a vanquishing spell or potion," Prue replied.

"He's a upper level demon though," May replied. "How are we going to get close enough to vanquish him?"

"I remember reading something about that," March spoke up concentrating. "You can vanquish an upper level demon with a potion made from-from-" she paused searching for the answer. "his flesh!" she finished.

"Right. Piper would be proud of you."

"At least someone pays attention to Piper's lectures," Phoebe quipped back at Paige.

Paige scowled at her older sister.

"Anyway, we need to brief Piper about this demon. You three should stay at the Manor since Xanthos is after you," Prue told the younger Charmed Ones.

"I'll go get Piper at the club," Paige said orbing out.

"I hate being stuck here," April pouted.

"You'll get your chance soon," Prue reassured her. "You girls start on the blinding potion. I'm going to check on my nephews. Yell if you need me."

Prue left the attic.

"Let's get cracking on that potion," March said.

"I'll read the list," April suggested.

"I'll measure."

"I guess that leaves the brewing to me. 'Double double toil and trouble. Fire boil and cauldron bubble!'" she added cackling. "What? Haven't you ever read _Macbeth_?"

"Some of us don't read Shakespeare for fun, March," April said rolling her eyes.

March shook her head heading for the door.

"You guys coming?" she called over her shoulder.

"What's the last ingredient on the list?" March asked as she stirred the potion.

"A teaspoon of ground black pepper," April replied as May searched for the pepper.

May sneezed. "I hate pepper."

"Yeah well, it makes your eyes burn. Probably why our ancestor put it in the potion."

May measured out the pepper and handed it to March.

"Watch out guys. This potion may flame a bit."

She slowly dropped the pepper into the potion and backed away. It flamed upon contact emitting noxious smoke.

"Ugh!" April moaned in disgust. "That reaks!"

"Can't say that I don't agree with ya, Sis," May added.

"Now it has to cool and turn acid yellow."

"Great," May said as March turned off the burner.

"A year of college Chemistry, and they never taught me how to do this," March said wryly. "Shouldn't take long for it to cool."

"Yuck! What is that smell?" Prue asked as she entered the kitchen.

"That would be our potion," May said pointing to the cauldron. "Lovely, isn't it?"

"Just brilliant," Prue replied sarcastically. "How long until it is done?"

"It just needs to cool and change colors," May said looking at the Book.

"Okay," Prue replied. "Piper, Phoebe, and Paige are in the living room."

"Waiting on us and the potion?" April asked.

"So that we can plan," Prue answered with a nod.

"You guys go ahead. I'll bottle the potions and join you later," March replied.

"Okay."

Prue and her sisters headed for the living room.

March settled herself in a chair and waited for the potion to cool.

Okay. That is a good point to end this chapter. More will be coming soon, I promise. Catch ya next chapter!

Blessed be,

AstronomyGirl85

(Maylee)


	10. Chapter 10

Hey again guys! Yikes, another long delay between updates. That's what happens when you start back to school and things get chaotic. Anyway, this next chapter is a bit short, but it kinda builds the suspense a little. I love it! (cackling evilly) Okay, on with the story!

Chapter 10

The Plan and A Little Horseplay

"So how the heck can we vanquish a demon that we can't look in the eye?" April asked.

"We can wear sunglasses or use mirrors. Then we can't look Xanthos in the eye," Paige piped up after a moment of thought.

"That could work. Now, how do we lure him here for the big vanquish?" Piper asked.

"You can use me as bait. I'm an empath so I can sense when he's approaching me. Plus, I'm the best fighter," Phoebe spoke up. "What better target would look than a lone Charmed One without her sisters?"

"I don't know Pheebs," Prue said shaking her head. "It's pretty risky."

"Fine then. March can keep an eye out on me with her Whitelighter senses."

"I can do what?" March asked coming from the kitchen with vials of potion.

May filled her big sister in on what they had discussed.

"I suppose so. I never really done that over great distances. I'll sure give it a shot though."

"Then, what do we do once we get him?"

"Phoebe will have the blinding potion and she'll call you to orb her and the demon out," Piper said.

"Maybe Paige and I should go as back up?" Prue suggested. "Take him by surprise. Two of us can subdue Xanthos and orb him back while the other takes Phoebe."

"That sounds like a plan to me. Then when you get him here to the Manor, April, May, and I can vanquish him," concluded Piper. "After we get a piece of his flesh. and make the potion."

"Let's get started on it then."

March and Piper headed for the kitchen.

"Okay, we got the Toadflax, the cardamom, the carrot seeds. Now we just need the mandrake root and the flesh," Piper said as March added the mandrake root into the boiling potion.

"Okay. Now waiting on the flesh," March said as Phoebe entered the kitchen, athame in hand.

"Potion ready?"

"Just waiting on the flesh, Pheebs," Piper replied.

"Yummy, demon stew."

"You are one weird girl," Phoebe replied to March.

"You try growing up with my two sisters," March quipped back.

"Nope, my sisters are bad enough."

"Hey!" Phoebe exclaimed.

"And she was the worst!" Piper added.

Phoebe pouted. Then she decided to grab Piper from behind.

March burst out into giggles, hiding her mouth with her hand.

"March help!" Piper cried as Phoebe grabbed her arms and locked them behind her back.

"Leave me outta this one!" March exclaimed. "I wanna watch this."

"What's going on in here?" Prue asked as she and Paige walked into the kitchen.

March filled them in between giggles.

"Oh, I agree one hundred percent," Prue said with a sly smile.

"I don't know. My childhood was kinda rough too," Paige said. "I was the little rebel as well."

"Uncle! Uncle!" Piper cried.

"Just say 'Phoebe is the best sister in the whole wide world.' and I'll let you go."

"Okay! Phoebe is _one _of the best sisters in the whole wide world!"

"That's more like it!" Paige said with a smile.

"You can let me go now, Pheebs."

"You'd better do it, little Sis," Prue reasoned. "So we can all go fight the demon."

"Fine," Phoebe pouted again. "That'll work this time. But next time will be different!"

"I have such weird cousins," March muttered to herself.

"What'd you say?" Paige asked looking at her.

"I said 'I have such cool cousins.'"

"Thought you did."

"Okay, sisters and cousin. Let's get busy."

Love it? Hate it? Let me know! I welcome any criticism, suggestion you might have. Until the next chapter!

Blessed be,

Astronomygirl85 aka Maylee


	11. Chapter 11

Guten Tag an alle! Sorry for the long delay once again. My stupid old computer wouldn't let me connect to the internet! Anyway, then I had all of these papers to write for school. It was one horrible month. That's over for now (Gott sei dank!). Now I can continue with Tis the Season! Here is the next chapter in the saga.

Chapter 11:

Oops! Wrong demon!

March orbed Phoebe to a deserted alleyway. It was dirty, messy, and smelled suspiciously of human waste.

"Could you have possibly picked a worse alleyway to orb me into?" Phoebe exclaimed, pinching her nose in disgust.

"Yeah well. You know demons and unhygienic alleyways. Perfect place to spring on innocent mortals."

"Funny."

"Catch you on the flip side cousin," March said as she orbed out.

"Okay, Pheebs, you're on your own now," she said to herself. She felt a presence behind her. "Okay, I know you're out here. Come and get me you stupid demon!"

"Fine," the demon snarled. "Hello pretty little witch."

"You're not the demon I was looking for!" Phoebe exclaimed in shock.

"Sorry I couldn't be more accommodating to your needs."

He started for Phoebe, launching at her head. Phoebe blocked him and the fight was on!

March orbed back to the Manor, coalescing next to her Whitelighter cousins. She immediately reached out in her mind for Phoebe. She was deep in concentration, folding her hands behind her back and closing her eyes.

"Can you sense her?" Prue asked from behind her.

"Her senses are alerted. I can feel that. She's surprised. She's got him. Let's go!"

The three orbed out of the manor and to Phoebe. They found her alone in the alleyway covered in demon guts. "Ugh! What happened to you?"

"What does it look like Paige?" Phoebe retorted. "I just vanquished a demon."

"I thought you needed a potion from Xanthos' flesh to vanquish him," March said, confused.

"The point exactly. It wasn't him. I got some other demon instead."

"Let's get you home and in the shower. Frankly, my dear sister, you stink."

"Very funny, Prue."

When they got back to the Manor, Phoebe immediately headed upstairs to the shower. The three cousins were by themselves in the living room. Xanthos shimmered in front of them. "Hello witches."

"Don't look at his eyes!" Paige exclaimed as they took cover. Prue and March, however, had already done the task. They stood, mesmerized by his glowing yellow eyes.

"Too late stupid witch," he replied. "Look at me!" he shot an energy ball at Paige causing her to move and look at him on reflex. Paige was likewise entranced soon after.

"My job is done here." With that Xanthos shimmered out.

March blinked. "What was that?"

"I don't know," Prue said shaking her head.

"How'd I get on the floor?" Paige asked.

"You musta fell or something."

Piper and May rushed in. "What happened?"

"Nothing. I just tripped over my own feet," Paige said getting up slowly.

"Okay," April replied going over to help her.

"I've got a huge headache," March said suddenly.

"We have some aspirin upstairs in the medicine cabinet," Piper suggested.

"I'm allergic to aspirin and ibuprofen."

"How about chamomile tea? That works well for headaches. How about you guys go find the summoning spell for Xanthos and I'll bring up some and join you."

"Sounds good to me," March said and the Whitelighters trudged up the stairs to the attic.

Piper shook her head at them. March must have a lot on her mind to not be so talkative. Her turquoise eyes had lost their customary twinkle. Something was going on in her brain.

Piper shook her concern off and started to brew the tea.

April couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right with her big sister. She hadn't been acting right since she and their cousins had orbed Phoebe back from the alleyway. She had that distant look in her eyes as if she were trying to sense her charges. She was jumpy and talked very little. She wondered if Piper or May had sensed anything different. She would have to query them later to compare notes.

April felt eyes on her and turned towards March. She looked away quickly.

"Something on your mind, Sis?" April asked her.

"Nothing," she replied coming up to stand next to her by the book. "I think we can use the same summoning spell as the one for Balthazar, just switch out names." She moved to turn the pages in the book when a bright light shocked her hand.

She jumped in pain. "What the-? April, did you do that?"

"No, It was the Book. I don't know why it did that." April found the section on Balthazar and copied down the summoning spell all the while wondering why the book shocked March and not her.

Okay, das ist alles. The next chapter should be up pretty soon. I just have to type it up and submit it. Until next time, Aufwiedersehen!

Maylee


	12. Chapter 12

Okay guys. Astronomy Girl back with another exciting chapter of Tis the Season. Maybe these updates will come a bit more often, we shall see. Anyway, without further ado, chapter 12.

Chapter 12:

A Little Experience

Later that day, March and her Whitelighter relations orbed to the top of the Golden Gate Bridge. March looked out at the flowing traffic beneath her then towards the Bay letting the wind rip through her hair. She was awed.

"It's so beautiful!" she exclaimed with a huge smile.

"Yeah," Paige agreed. "It's a nice place to think."

"A good place to practice," Prue added, reminding them why they had orbed there in the first place. "Try sensing Phoebe and Piper from here."

March concentrated and let her senses flow toward the Manor. She could hear them talking in her head, but she couldn't exactly get a positive read on them. She relayed this to her cousins.

"That's pretty good for a novice Whitelighter," Prue commented. "How's your conjuring?"

"I'm working on it. I still have a hard time doing it at will though. I can't find a trigger."

"Have you tried calling for it? Like what I do?" Paige suggested.

"Okay. I could use something to eat," March thought. "Apple!"

It appeared in her hands with a swirl of orbs.

"Wicked!" she cried taking a healthy bite out of it. "'An apple a day keeps the doctor away.' Thanks for the suggestion, Paige."

"No problem."

"Keep practicing on it. Eventually, you might not have to call for it."

"Okay, Phoebe and I have the summoning spell for Xanthos," May said as they walked into the living room.

"We used the one to summon Cole, just replaced 'Balathazar' with Xanthos," Phoebe added, a distant look in her eyes. Piper knew that she was thinking about her lost love, Cole Turner.

"Got the athame," April said as she joined them.

"Are we ready?" Piper asked.

"No," April confessed.

"Don't be squeamish. Just do it," Phoebe encouraged. "Let's get this over with."

April took a deep breath. "I'm ready."

Piper, Phoebe, and May chanted:

"Magic forces black and white

Reaching out through space and light

Be he far or be he near

Bring us the demon Xanthos here."

A swirl of wind formed in front of them. The girls looked down to keep from looking Xanthos in the eye.

"Hello witches. What a lovely day for a witch slaughter," Xanthos said as he formed.

"Not today Xanthos!" Piper said as she froze him.

Not for long. Xanthos fought through the freeze. "No use trying to put me on ice."

"How about a little heat?" April said as she flung electricity at him. Phoebe threw bolts at him too, obviously channeling April's power.

He shot a energy ball at Piper. She blew it up.

April took the brief distraction to slice a piece of flesh off Xanthos' bare arm.

He screamed in agony, firing up another energy ball.

Piper moved to blow it up, but April was faster. She shot it out of his hand.

"I'll be back witches! It's only a matter of time."

With that, Xanthos shimmered out in an agonized huff.

April quickly picked up the piece of flesh that she had sliced off. "Yuck!"

"Quick, take that to the kitchen," Piper instructed.

April did so, still making disgusted faces as she walked.

"March! Prue!" Phoebe called.

The three Whitelighters orbed in.

"You called?" March asked with a smirk.

Phoebe glared at her.

"Ready to vanquish the bad guy?" March asked, looking at Piper.

"April just got the flesh and took it to the kitchen."

"I bet she hated it," March quipped.

"Let's go, March. I want you to add the flesh since you love to cook so much."

"Okay," March drawled out.

Piper shot her sisters a smirk of her own as she and March went into the kitchen. Curiously, May follwed.

Piper cut the flesh into neat pieces. "Might need it for later. You never know."

She handed a piece to March. April and May looked on with interest, Piper noticed. "Now just it in there and the potion will be done." Piper stepped back, knowing what would happen.

March threw it in the cauldron. Piper watched-

The sisters were thrown back a bit when the potion exploded in their faces. Piper laughed at the astonished look on their faces.

"You knew that was going to happen!" March accused, wiping away the smoke.

"Nothing like a little bit of experience," Piper got out between laughs. She wound up with a conjured pillow in her face.

"Funny, March," Piper exclaimed as they bottled the potions. They handed two to April and May. The cooking duo pocketed their vials.

"Keep these with you at all times."

"Even the blinding potion we cooked up?" May asked.

"Yes," Piper replied. "It may prove a distraction to get away. If you spot Xanthos, don't think about it. Just throw the potion and be done with it."

March took out her potion and gave it an odd look. "Gotcha," she replied tucking it away again.

Piper had the feeling that something wasn't quite right, but shook it off. It was demon hunting time.

Okay, they've got the vanquishing potion ready. Now it's time to snuff the hypnotizing monster right? What exactly did Xanthos do to the Whitelighters? this demon won't be that easy to get rid of! Tune in next time.

Auf Wiedersehen!

Maylee


	13. Chapter 13

"March, You and your sisters should stay together since Xanthos targets witches new to the Craft," Piper suggested.

"Yeah," March agreed. "I also think that it is a good idea to orb to Alabama and grab our sunglasses so that we don't look him in the eye by accident."

"Good idea, but make it quick."

March quickly orbed out the Manor and to their home in Alabama. She quickly located all three pairs of shades and orbed back within minutes. "Got'em."

"May! April!" Her two sisters appeared from the sunroom, questioning looks written on their faces.

March quickly explained her idea to them as she handed their sunglasses to them.

"Oh!"

"Don't lose them," March ordered, looking pointedly at April.

"Why you looking at me?" she asked.

"You always lose your sunglasses. Make sure you don't lose them! Got it? Good!" March stormed out of the living room and upstairs.

April and May looked on, startled. "What is up with her? She never acts like that."

April nodded. "She's never fussed at me for losing my sunglasses. She always takes it in stride and goes on.

"Something isn't right with our big sister."

All April could do was nod her head in agreement.

Meanwhile, March was upstairs flipping through the Book of Shadows, taking long glances at each of the demons she encountered on each page. They were all so fascinating, Grimlocks, warlocks, Kazi demons, and one in particular caught March's eye.

Shax, The Source's assassin. March recalled that he was the one who killed Prue. He was later vanquished by Piper, Phoebe, and Paige.

"What you looking at?" Prue asked as she and Paige entered the attic.

"Shax, now that is one interesting demon."

"Yeah, he managed to kill me," Prue replied solemnly.

"Yes, Shax. He was my first vanquish," Paige reminisced. "Good times."

"Aye, they were."

"I bet," March answered softly.

"Don't worry," Prue assured her. "You'll get your own unstoppable demon one of these days."

"He won't stand a chance against the Power of Three!" Paige exclaimed.

"Xanthos sure is biding his time," March said as the shut the book.

"Yeah, I want to get rid of him already. I hate the waiting part," Paige added with a slight moan.

"Me too," Prue agreed. "Even after you're dead, it's still not easy."

Piper watched the younger cousins grow steadily more and more restless. May was twirling her sunglasses around and around. April was fiddling with her powers, creating small bursts of static electricity. And ever since March came down with her sisters, She had taken to pacing around the house. It was starting to drive Piper up the wall.

"Knock it off March!" May finally exclaimed when she returned to the living room.

"I can't help it! I hate waiting. My patience is growing very thin!"

"So are ours," Phoebe added. "But the pacing around doesn't help any. It just makes things worse sometimes."

"Maybe we all need a strong cup of tea and some snacks while we wait. March, would you like to help?" Piper asked.

"Sure," she answered quickly crossing over to her cousin. Piper noticed then that her eyes were void of their usual twinkle. She was all glassed over as if pondering something very metaphysical.

"You okay?"

"Fine. I'm all right."

"If you say so," Piper said unconvinced. She dropped it though, not wanting to quarrel with the Young Whitelighter.

Piper put the tea kettle on as March began searching in the kitchen for a suitable snack.

Piper busied herself with the tea as March worked on. After a while, she turned to the cabinet to get some glasses. Then she noticed that March had conjured peaches and grapes out of thin air.

"What?" March asked feeling her stare. "My sisters like peaches."

"You're using magic for personal gain."

"It is not personal gain; it's survival," March countered as she set the knife down.

Piper shook her head. "You are getting pretty good at that."

March gave her a satisfied smirk and picked up the fruit tray. "Coming Cousin?"

"In a minute."

"Suit yourself," March said as she exited, carrying the food tray in one hand.

Something is up with that girl, Piper thought as she poured the hot tea into the glasses.

After the relaxing snack, March still hadn't calmed down.

"I need to get outta here!" she exclaimed. "I'm going to take a walk outside!"

She headed for the door, but was stopped by Prue.

"Whoa! You can't go out there alone with Xanthos on the loose. Why don't you, Paige and I drive to Golden Gate Park?"

"Okay," March conceded. "Let me get my jacket."

March grabbed her jacket from the stand, and the girls walked out the Manor.

They climbed into Paige's green bug and drove off.

"Finally, we get away from those do-gooders!" Paige exclaimed.

"I feel so stifled around them!" Prue steamed.

O-o-okay, what is going on here? March thought, confused. As she pondered more and more about it, she found that she plain out didn't care. In fact, she agreed with them whole heartedly.


	14. Chapter 14

Okay, I must apologize for the short chapter. I didn't have much time to type this out. I am between classes at college and need to have a book read by tomorrow. So, I will leave you with a quick teaser chapter.

Chapter 14:

Something Is Not Right

"Something is not right with those three," April commented as the three Whitelighters left.

"You've noticed too?" Piper asked.

April and May nodded.

"It's just not like them to barge off like that without some kind of 'see you later' or 'be back soon,'" Phoebe replied. "Prue and March seemed conflicted, but I couldn't read Paige."

"The potion, remember?" Piper told Phoebe.

"Right," she sounded after a moment.

As April listened to the conversation among her sister and cousins, she began to remember something that had happened earlier.

_April felt eyes on her and turned towards March. She looked away quickly."Something on your mind, Sis?" April asked her._

_"Nothing," she replied coming up to stand next to her by the book. "I think we can use the same summoning spell as the one for Balthazar, just switch out names." She moved to turn the pages in the book when a bright light shocked her hand._

_She jumped in pain. "What the-? April, did you do that?"_

_"No, It was the Book. I don't know why it did that." April found the section on Balthazar and copied down the summoning spell all the while wondering why the book shocked March and not her._

"I just remembered something," April spoke up. "Earlier while Piper was brewing some tea, March and I were looking through the book to find that summoning spell for Xanthos. March approached the book to turn the page, but it shocked her. What does that mean?"

"That means that the book thinks that March has turned evil!" Phoebe exclaimed.

"Xanthos must have gotten to here somehow. And our sisters!" Piper added.

"I thought that his goal was to convert novice witches. Why change the plan and take three Whitelighters?" May asked quietly.

"Why else?" Piper repeated. "An evil Power of Three."

March was deep in concentration as she focused her senses on her charges. She felt a shift in emotions. "I think they might have figured out what happened to us."

"So? They can't catch us in time to do anything," Prue commented.

"We should set a trap for them and-I don't know-torture them or something," Paige suggested.

"We could give them to Xanthos," March suggested. "My two sisters are still neophytes after all."

"There you go with the blasted two dollar words again. Use plain English please," Prue chided her charge.

"Sorry. Can't help it sometimes."

"So, how do we trap them?" Paige asked.

"Crystal cage."

"Why didn't I think of that?" March asked, a bit perplexed.

"Cause you're not as smart as we are. Or as experienced," Paige answered proudly.

"Whatever. Just you wait until I have fifty vanquishes under my belt."

"You'll get them, cousin. I promise."

I'd better, March thought bitterly. Then I can reminisce about my kills.

"So, now we plan."

Once more, I apologize for the length. I will try to have more posted by Friday, but don't hold me to that. Have a good day and Blessed be!

AstronomyGirl85

(Maylee)


	15. Chapter 15

Okay! Sorry about that. My ancient computer was acting up and deleted my whole story from my disk. Luckily I have this copy on the internet. I had this chapter finished but had to rewrite it beacuse of that darn computer! Oh well, I got it up now so enjoy!

Chapter 15:

In Like a Lion

The bewitched Whitelighters didn't waste time and attacked immediately. They orbed in simultaneously and started attacking their cousins and sisters.

March sent conjured weapons at April who would deflect them with electrical energy. It started back and forth with constant blows and parries. Prue would telekinetically send objects flying at her sisters causing Piper to blow up several artifacts. Paige finally broke Piper's defense.

"Vase!" Paige called as Prue hurtled sharp objects at her. Piper was forced to duck as the vase shattered on the ground inches from her.

"That was Grams' vase!" Piper yelled throwing her hands up and freezing the room. The three Whitelighthers froze in their spots.

"Knock them out quickly!" Phoebe yelled hitting March over the head with a bat she had found somewhere.

"You'll thank us later for this," Piper said to Prue, breaking a glass over her head. By then, April and May had satisfactorily knocked Paige out as well. May and Phoebe automatically went for the crystal to trap them in the cage.

"Watch them," Piper said to May. "Consider it a test of how well you can control your powers."

May nodded and turned invisible. There was a slight indentation as May sat down on the chair and waited. "I'll let you know when they start waking up."

"Okay."

Prue was the first to awaken. The first thing that she realized was that she had a busting headache. She then noticed that she and her Whitelighter relations were trapped by the crystal cage around them. She had no idea why this had happened. Nor did she notice the soft footsteps that left the room. She just knew that her head hurt and her eyes were watery.

"Piper! Phoebe!" Prue called, startling Paige awake slightly.

"What?" Paige asked groggily. "Why are we trapped in a crystal cage?"

"I don't know Paige. I don't remember anything."

"You tried to kill us," Phoebe said cautiously entering the living room with Piper and April.

"What?" Paige and Prue sounded together.

"Xanthos hypnotized you and you attacked us," Piper explained.

"March too? Why is she still out?"

"I don't know. Must have hit her harder than we thought," April said looking at Phoebe.

"The yellow sheen is gone from their eyes. The knockout must have knocked their senses back into them," Piper observed scrutinizing her sisters.

"Wake March and release them from the trap."

Prue shook March awake. She opened her eyes quickly. "What happened?" she asked standing up slowly.

"Xanthos hypnotized you," April said as matter of fact.

"Really?" March said with a tinge of sarcasm. She looked at Prue. The yellowish sheen was still present in March's eyes. "I never noticed!"

"Uh oh!" Piper exclaimed seeing the sheen as well.

Her hands began to glow.

"Watch out!" Prue called just in time. Piper and April managed to duck flying knives. They stuck in the wall instead of flesh.

"Stupid witches! I'll get you soon enough. And traitors will be first!" March orbed out quickly before anyone could react.

Prue noticed immediately that half of her orbs were black.

"How can March still be evil after we turned you guys good again?" Piper asked.

"Remember Xanthos MO? He goes after witches new to the Craft. March is more susceptible to evil because she is new," April said.

"How else would you kill the Charmed Ones? Create an evil Power of Three to do the job for you," Phoebe replied.

"How do we turn her back though?" May asked from the seat as she turned visible again.

"Simple, we kill Xanthos."

"But if she commits one evil act, she stays evil forever," Prue pointed out.

"Then we have to stop her before we're too late."

Okay, cliffhanger but its a good way to end the chapter. This is almost over with, don't fret! Xanthos will die, I promise you. By the way, who wants me to write more about the lovely Baytown sisters? I have some ideas, but I want your feedback as well. Auf wiedersehen!


	16. Chapter 16

Man! I can't believe my story is almost complete! I want to thank all of you who reviewed my story. Keep on doing it! I love your feedback. Oh, and by the way, I'm not from Germany even though I speak German fairly well. My father is German, but my mother tongue is English. Hope that clears some things up! Now, on with the story.

Chapter 16:

Evil Marches On

March reappeared down in the Underworld in Xanthos' lair. "Lord, my cousins and sisters have changed Prue and Paige back. I was the only one to escape their clutches."

"You are indeed the powerful little witch aren't you?" Xanthos said turning to her.

"I'm a Whitelighter too," March replied smugly.

"Not so much anymore my Pet. Half of your orbs are black now."

"Cool. I wonder if I can conjure a Darklighter crossbow and kill them."

"Not yet, child. I want them to suffer a little bit more. And I have the perfect plan."

March listened eagerly to his plan. She grinned evilly. "Perfect, Master."

"Do it now!"

March orbed out. Deep down in what was left of her soul, she knew what she was about to do was wrong, but the rest of her just plain didn't care.

She reemerged in the attic in the Manor. She quickly conjured the ingredients she needed for her potion and set to work. It was a Slow action potion that would weaken and

ultimately kill the Charmed Ones, a feat no one has yet achieved. Satisfied that the potion had turned pitch black, she set to work on the antidote, just in case.

She quickly pocketed the antidote and started to orb out with the other in hand when the door opened.

"Hello cousins," she said maliciously. Prue and Paige stood there in front of the door.

"It's not too late to fight this March," Prue said to her.

_Idiots_! March yelled inwardly. "It's too late, Prue. You can't stop me."

"It's never too late March," Paige replied. "I know what evil is like. The Source tempted me with evil when I was new to the Craft. I came back, so can you."

"Never!" She orbed out in a huff.

"She's up to something," Prue reported to moments later to the rest of the Charmed Ones. "She had some kind of potion in her hands."

"It was pitch black. She stuffed some other potion in her pocket. I saw the cork," Paige added.

"This is not good at all," April said pacing the room.

"She's corrupted too far. She's a goner," May said crying.

"There's still hope. The good in her is struggling with evil," Prue said. "I can feel it."

"There is still a connection," Paige replied.

"We get her to tap into her connection with us then," Piper said resolutely.

"Let's do it."

"You have the potion?" Xanthos asked as she orbed in. She presented him with the black potion.

Xanthos looked at her. "There is still too much good in you," he replied without preamble.

March snorted angrily. "What good?"

"You are still connected to your sisters. You need to do a ritual that sever that connection."

Xanthos waved his hand and black robes appeared in a swirl of flames.

"Dress, I shall return with a priest shortly." He shimmered out.

Gladly, March said as she grabbed the robes and stepped into a secluded room. She donned her new wardrobe, readying herself to the ritual to purge herself of good.

She pulled the hood over her head just as she heard Xanthos shimmer back in. Xanthos summoned her, and she walked out into the hall, stepping to the center of an inverted

pentagram.

She kneeled before the priest and the chant began….

"Are you sure this is going to work?" April asked.

"It has too," Piper replied grimly.

May swallowed hard as she flipped the pages in the book. "Found it. 'To Summon a Lost Witch.'"

April and May gather rosemary, cypress and yarrow root and put them in a chalice. May chanted as April readied the athame:

"Power of the witches' rise.

Course unseen across the skies.

Come to us, we call you near.

Come to us and settle here.

April pricked her finger. May continued, letting the blood spill into the chalice:

"Blood to blood, I summon thee.

Blood to blood, return to me."

March was in the middle of the chant when she heard the spell summoning her. "Oh no you don't!" she yelled trying to resist the cosmic pull.

"Keep going!" Xanthos hissed to the priest.

"No!" March yelled as she disappeared in white lights.

Xanthos roared in anger and threw an energy ball at the priest to release his anger. The priest diappeared in a plume of flames. Xanthos shimmered out, hot on March's tail.

May saw white lights appear in front of them in the attic.

"It worked!" April exclaimed as March formed in front of them. She was dressed in a black robe.

She threw her hood back. "How dare you summon me!"

"She's pissed!" Paige exclaimed.

"Shut up traitor!" March said sending orbs at her.

Paige ducked the orbs, infuriating March even more.

Prue waved her hand towards March.

"No you don't!" March said orbing out of the way.

There was a shimmer and Xanthos appeared, the pitch black potion in his hand. He threw the liquid at them. May and the others fell to the floor choking under the acrid fumes. May felt as if her insides were on fire, and it was getting harder to breathe.

"You're dead, witches," he said turning to March. "This is the final part of the ritual. Kill them and the evil is complete."

March conjured a crossbow in her hands and aimed it at May.

"March, no!" May managed to gasp out. "Don't do it!"

Ouch! Another cliffhanger! I know you hate me right now for leaving you hanging, but I promise, Xanthos will die in the next chapter. See you guys soon!

Astronomygirl85 (Maylee)


	17. Chapter 17

Okay guys and gals this is the last chapter. Thanks to all of my reviwers. This chapter is for you.

Chapter 17

Death and Celebration

March barely heard her sister's crying. She was conflicted inside.

_Oh my God! They're dying!_

_So what? Kill her and be done with her! _A voice contradicted inside her mind.

_She's my sister! I can't kill her!_

_She's a witch! She's evil!_

_She's my sister!_

_Kill her! _Her trigger finger twitched nervously.

_No!_

_DO IT! _

"NO!" March cried loosening her aim on her sister.

"Kill her you witch! Seal the pact!"

"No, March!" Prue called taking a step towards her.

"Fight it March!" Paige encouraged.

March finally broke. Her eyes started to hurt. She looked towards Xanthos.

"You can't make me kill my baby sister!" March said turning the crossbow on him. An arrow flew and hit Xanthos in the chest.

Xanthos roared in pain, but did not disappear. He was livid with anger.

March didn't care. She fished the antidote out of her robes and hurled it at her sisters.

"Stupid witch. Now I have to kill them myself," Xanthos cried, forming an energy ball in his palm.

"No!" March cried, her eyes burning and tearing up. Xxanthos turned loose the energy ball and sent it flying. March jumped in front of her sisters and took the full blast of the energy ball in her stomach.

"March!" May yelled.

"Vanquish that sorry idiot," March got out before the darkness claimed her.

April flew at her sister as March crumpled to the ground. "Nobody messes with my sisters!" she cried and started hurtling energy bolts at the demon. May turned herself invisible and went on a scratching and kicking rampage. Xanthos had a serious bloody nose before he pushed her aside.

Piper came to her senses and blew a chunk of Xanthos' arm up, sending him into more fits of pain and agony. With that distraction, she and Phoebe hurled the vanquishing potions at the demon.

Xanthos roared one final time and went up in a plume of dazzling yellow smoke. The hypnotic demon was finally gone. Now to tend to the unconscious March.

"Prue!"

"On it," she said jumping to her side.

"She's still breathing, just barely," Phoebe informed.

Prue worked her healing powers over March. "Come on. Come on. Work!"

March's wounds finally healed and closed. She opened her eyes slowly.

"Thank God!" was the cry of two relieved sisters as they swamped over their older sister.

"Can't breathe, sisters!" March exclaimed hoarsely. They released her. "Is he dead?"

"Yes!" April exclaimed helping her up slowly.

"Welcome back, cousin," Prue said with a smile.

"We were worried about you for a while," Phoebe admitted to her.

"I never want to do that again!" March said shrugging her black robe off violently.

"Burn it!" she said to Piper and April.

A few blasts later, and it was dust.

"I'm really sorry guys. I couldn't let go. Then I saw May suffering, and I just couldn't do it. I promised that I would always take care of her, you know. Never let anything hurt her, and I nearly killed her."

"Don't apologize, March," May said. "You were under the influence. It wasn't your fault. It's over now."

"When'd you get so wise?" March asked slyly.

"We need to celebrate. How about I cook dinner?" Piper suggested.

March looked at her sisters. "I think I have a better idea. Ever had a good Southern meal?"

Phoebe paled. "I don't wanna eat possum meat!"

"We aren't like the Beverly Hillbillies, Pheebs," April said with a laugh.

"We're a little more civilized," May agreed.

"All right then. Tell us what you need," Piper said.

"Let's orb on over to Alabama and truly experience Southern Hospitality," Paige said.

Everyone nodded in agreement. The seven Charmed Ones orbed to Alabama.

The girls packed a picnic basket full of March's cooking and set off to the creek where they had first met. April brought along her portable radio and they were listening as they chatted and ate.

March finished off her fried chicken and laughed at her baby sister's antics. She was dancing along the creek to a popular Southern tune.

"Big wheels keep on turnin'

Carry me home to my kin

Singin' songs about the Southland

I miss ole Bamy once again

And I think it's a sin"

"Lynyrd Skynyrd!" April exclaimed as she got up and joined her sister. March laughed and joined in for the chorus.

"Sweet Home Alabama

Where the skies are so blue!

Sweet Home Alabama

Lord I'm coming home to you!"

"Yee-haw!" Paige exclaimed as they danced across the creek. All four of the older Charmed Ones laughed at their Southern cousins. The song finished and they settled down to eat dessert.

"And we didn't even square dance!" May said as she sat next to Paige. "What's for dessert?"

"Something that you'll throw me into the river for making," March said opening the cake box.

"Devil's Food Cake!" March exclaimed with an evil grin.

"March!" May exclaimed.

"You're so dead!" April said as March took off running.

The sisters laughed as their cousins chased March into the creek. Then, May did a double take and pushed March into the water.

"Yes! The demon of bad dessert puns is vanquished!" May shouted.

That is until March pulled them under with her.

The seven Charmed Ones spent the rest of that day chasing each other around the creek and splashing water at the other.

Just an average day in the life of the Charmed Ones.

That is all. Wanna sequel? Let me know. For know, I enjoyed posting this story. Blessed be!


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